Afghanistan Times
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Kabul — 21 July 2025
A fresh wave of arrests has swept across Kabul as Taliban authorities detained dozens of Afghan women and girls between July 16 and 19 for allegedly failing to comply with strict hijab regulations. The arrests, which were carried out without official charge or legal recourse, have sparked widespread concern among Afghan citizens and international observers alike, who say the move is a stark escalation in the Taliban’s efforts to control every aspect of women’s lives.
Under the Taliban’s harsh interpretation of Islamic law, Afghan women are required to wear a full-body covering in public that reveals only their eyes. Even minor perceived deviations—such as a slip of hair or uncovered hands—can be deemed “improper,” subjecting women to fines, public shaming, detention, or worse. Witnesses reported that female morality officers, often escorted by armed men, carried out raids in public areas, markets, and even private homes, accusing women of violating Taliban dress codes.
The detainees have been taken to undisclosed locations, and families say they have been denied information about their whereabouts or wellbeing. Many fear that their loved ones are being held in poor conditions, subjected to intimidation or coercion, with no access to legal assistance or communication. The arrests have deepened the already pervasive fear among Afghan women, who are systematically excluded from public life, education, and employment.
Critics say the Taliban’s campaign against women is not about religious modesty but a deliberate tactic to erase women from society and entrench male dominance. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have gradually stripped Afghan women of nearly all rights—banning secondary and university education for girls, barring most women from working in NGOs and government jobs, and prohibiting their presence in parks, gyms, and restaurants.
This recent crackdown underscores Afghanistan’s accelerating slide toward what many human rights groups call gender apartheid, where laws and policies are explicitly designed to segregate and suppress women on the basis of gender. The arrests are being seen as part of a broader effort by the Taliban to impose total ideological control, even as they continue to seek international legitimacy and diplomatic engagement.
Meanwhile, the psychological toll on Afghan women is mounting. Many now avoid leaving their homes altogether, fearing harassment, imprisonment, or retaliation for even slight non-compliance. Families are increasingly forced to choose between safety and survival, as female-headed households suffer under blanket bans on women’s employment and mobility.
With no official data released and no independent access to detainees, it remains unclear how many women and girls have been arrested or what conditions they are facing. Calls for accountability and transparency continue to grow, but inside Afghanistan, where dissent is dangerous and free speech is stifled, the voices of women are being silenced—sometimes literally.
As the Taliban tightens its grip, Afghan women are once again paying the highest price. Their fight is now not only for equality, but for the most basic human right: the freedom to exist in public without fear.
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